Sometimes it's necessary to ignore someone you love during a fight, after a breakup, or when your loved one is too toxic. Ignoring someone in these conditions can be difficult, especially if there is such an intense feeling. Set limits when seeing her in public and take the following steps to avoid meeting her at school or work. It's harder to ignore someone when you share the same roof, but it's possible to create distance between the two. A good thing is to decrease how often you talk to her, especially if you're reluctant to ignore her after an annoying situation.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Imposing Boundaries on Public
Step 1. Avoid going places where she would go if you can
Do your best to stay away from favorite stores and restaurants, as well as that person's work environment. It will be easier to ignore her if you don't cross her path all the time. Take this chance to discover new places and live new experiences.
It may not be possible to completely ignore it if they work at the same company or study in the same classroom. In that case, change your routine a little and avoid crossing her path so often. Use a different corridor when heading to her room or to go to the lockers at a time when she is not used to going out
Step 2. Avoid looking her in the eye and use more closed body language when you see her
Avoiding eye contact with her gives the image that you don't want to talk. Also, maintain an inaccessible posture, keeping your chin down and looking away. Cross your arms to keep her from talking to you.
- Cross your legs if you are seated.
- Keep your eyes fixed and focus on where you're going. If it's in front of you, look down or to the side. Pretend you're using your cell phone, for example.
- A good way to avoid a conversation is to frown and look annoyed if necessary. This demonstrates that you are not intending to talk right now.
Step 3. Act like you're busy and listen to music to avoid interactions
Look on your cell phone and act like you're seeing an important message, or grab one of your high school, college, or even a client's worksheets to review one last time. Listening to music while walking down the halls or during your workday helps minimize interactions with everyone around you, including the guy you want to ignore. If someone else is near you, start a conversation with them. That way he'll have a reason not to start a conversation if he sees you're occupied with something else.
- Wear headphones, but don't listen to music if you find that music at work is too distracting or causes some kind of problem. No one will ever know you're using your headphones just to ignore them.
- When walking in the hallways at school, pretend you're listening to something important on your phone or reviewing your completed work and write down some notes, or use your diary if you're in the classroom.
- In your work, focus on your daily obligations and stay as far away from the decompression or break room as possible.
Step 4. Run away from her if you can
Stay away from her if you found her by surprise in a restaurant or shop. Choose to cross the room, move to another location, or leave the room. Choose what feels most comfortable to you.
- At school, there is the possibility that you have an unexpected meeting in the bathroom or the library. If you are in the classroom, try to start a conversation with someone in order to ignore the person and wait to enter the classroom or other environment until activities start.
- Go to a colleague's desk to discuss problems you encounter in some situations if you are at work.
Step 5. Treat her formally if she tries to make small talk
Don't go overboard when ignoring the person, as it may seem like you are immature. Instead, speak to her calmly and politely. Speak very little and then gently withdraw.
Give her as little response as you can and keep your tone as natural as possible. For example, you might say the following: "I don't know what I'm going to do this week, but right now I'm very busy and I have to get into the classroom."
Step 6. Change places or find a new environment in which you can work normally if you sit close to her
At school, ask your teacher if it is possible to change places. Maybe it's better to sit next to someone you know to make it look like you're just choosing to get closer to someone more intimate. At work, switch rooms or desks, or move to another office if possible.
- At school, you can say to your teacher, "I'm having trouble seeing the board. Can I sit further down?"
- If you can't change places, try to create a barrier between the two of you. Use a folder to split the desktop. Keep all your belongings closer to her in order to create a physical barrier whose idea is easily discernible.
- Put up a calendar or a whiteboard to avoid contact between the two if you can't work from somewhere else.
Step 7. Have lunch at a different restaurant than you normally go to
Lunchtime can be a very awkward time if you are in the habit of having lunch together or sitting at the same table over and over again. Changing this routine will help you to ignore these emotions more easily, especially if she continues to try to strike up a conversation. If I have to have lunch with her, ask your mutual friends to help keep her occupied so you don't have to interact.
- Change tables in the cafeteria or have lunch outside the restaurant. You can also eat faster than usual and then head to the library or whatever else you prefer.
- Eat at your desk, in the car, or eat out if you have to use the cafeteria for lunch at work.
Step 8. Talk minimally with her at events created by mutual friends or family members
If you're ignoring a friend or a relative, you're both likely to be on the guest list for parties or events. If they talk to you, you better respond, because pretending you're not listening is passive-aggressive behavior. Either way, you don't want to get into a very long conversation with her. Interact with your friends or relatives to divert your attention and get busy with other happenings in the moment.
- Consider asking your closest friends or relatives to accompany the two of you during conversations if necessary. You can say, "Friend, I'm trying to get away from Katia for a while and I know she's going to be at your house at Secret Friend. Could you help me stay away from her if you start talking to me?"
- If you feel like you really can't be around that person, it's okay if you have to politely decline an invitation to an event they're going to attend. Most of the time, it is best not to explain much of the reason for the refusal so that the host does not feel pressured to choose between you and her.
Step 9. Surround yourself with friends who can support you at public events
You may find it frequently at times and places, such as sporting games, religious events, or in your neighborhood park. Ask your best friend or partner for help, people who sympathize with you at this point in your life. Some of them may agree to accompany you to events and places if you suspect you might find the ignored person by surprise. If you are accompanied, it will be more difficult to have contact between the two of you. Also, being accompanied promotes greater attention to the event itself, and you will eventually fail to remember your intention to ignore someone.
Just having someone around makes it easier to ignore someone else. If you are interacting with someone, an unexpected approach will be more difficult
Method 2 of 3: Creating Emotional Distance At Home
Step 1. Spend more time alone inside the room
Eat correctly, watch your favorite series and relax in your room. Ask for your privacy to be respected or install a latch on your door. Use your time alone to do things that are important, such as studying, practicing your hobbies, or reading.
- Find another place in the house to relax for a while if you share your room with the person you are trying to ignore. For example, spend time in the garage, on the porch, or stand by the window listening to music.
- You can even spend more time away from home, visiting a friend or going to places you love.
Step 2. Use a headset to ignore someone while in public places
Listen to music or watch your favorite series on a cell phone or laptop. While wearing a headset, you will not be able to hear anything they say near you. Also, wearing headphones is a great reason to ignore someone without making them feel bad.
You can even use an earplug as another alternative. Grab a book, a magazine or a paper from school and then put on an earplug to go about your activities peacefully
Step 3. Necessary conversations should be short, cool and to the point
If they live together, it will be inevitable to talk to the person at some point. Be quick and respond simply, without any elaboration on what you have to say. Don't show emotion, even if you get angry. Respond politely and move on so that the conversation ends quickly.
You might say, "It was cool today, but I'm going to study now."
Step 4. Take a few days away from home if you can
If you're in the middle of a fight with a parent, partner, roommate or sibling, spending time with someone else for a few days can help clear the dust. It's much easier to ignore someone who isn't around you all the time. Consider sleeping at a friend or relative's house until you feel comfortable talking to her again.
Ask your parents or guardian for permission when leaving the house and before doing anything if you are not an adult. Say something like this if you like: "I feel like I need more space right now to deal with some feelings that came up after our fight last Saturday. Can I stay with my grandma this weekend?"
Method 3 of 3: Avoiding the urge to talk to her
Step 1. Unfollow or block the person on social media
Ignoring someone you love is a difficult task, but it's even worse if you follow daily what they do on social media. If it's an ex or a crush and one of them is posting photos with their new partner or a friend they're dating, don't keep track of what he's doing, as things can get even more difficult. Stop following her on social networks and do not see her posts or block the contact and avoid calling them in a chat.
You can even Take-A-Time-From-Social-Networks for a few days. That way, you won't be able to see anything they post if you're not tracking their timeline
Step 2. Block her contact if you feel like you are going to strike up a conversation at some point
Ignoring an ex or an uninterested crush can be difficult, especially if you're used to texting all the time. Likewise, ignoring messages of a toxic relationship is also difficult. Talking to her can hurt you. Do whatever it takes to avoid sending messages, even if it means blocking the contact.
- Consider changing her name in your contact list if you don't want to block the contact. Ex: "Don't call Isolda".
- Another option is to write the number down on paper and then delete it from your list. This way, you will still have the number, but it will be more difficult to call or send a message.
Step 3. Keep yourself busy so you're not tempted to get in touch with the person
Start inserting more activities into your daily life and seek to achieve your professional and educational goals, as well as improve your career in some aspect. Start a new activity, visit new places around your city or take classes that enable you to develop a new skill. When you have a life full of important things to do, it's not that hard to ignore someone.
- Learn to Find-a-Hobby, such as Learn-to-Play-an-Instrument, Draw, or Knit-a-Scarf.
- Go to auditions at municipal theaters.
- Create a new product and learn Make-a-Sale.
- Visit new coffee shops in your region.
- Take classes at a school near you, at a community center, at a library or online. You can find free courses developed by renowned Universities through this link
Step 4. Focus on other relationships
Spend more time with friends or relatives who have a positive influence on your life. Experiencing a fun and healthy relationship can help you remember why you want to ignore this person. Be the first to reach out to other individuals and make plans for them. Don't let a bad experience with someone you love keep you from your friends.